Scouting the Sharks: Wings must be wary of Cheechoo in a 'sending a message' game

The San Jose Sharks are coming off a 4-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Wednesday, and they've won three straight games of late. They've been playing solidly on their road trip thus far:

February 29, Mercury News: As they have every game on the trip, the Sharks scored first. Columbus then took a 2-1 lead on two goals by David Vyborny by 7:54 of the second period, but San Jose countered with the next three over an 8-minute, 1-second span - ending all scoring before the final period.

San Jose goals by Torrey Mitchell and Jeremy Roenick were their 10th of the season, a welcome development according to Coach Ron Wilson, who liked the idea of "having more guys in double figures. It looks better on the stat sheet."

They're also relatively healthy coming into tonight's game:

Defensemen Sandis Ozolinsh and Alexei Semenov were healthy scratches [against Columbus]; defenseman Kyle McLaren missed his second game because of a knee problem.

But the Mercury News's David Pollak notes that the Sharks are under pressure to "send a message" to their playoff nemesis tonight:

The Red Wings have won all three games the teams have played this season by a combined score of 15-6.

February 28, Mercury Extra: I suppose there's something to be said that if the Sharks are ever going to beat the Red Wings, this is the time. Between the injuries to some of Detroit's top players and the boost San Jose has gotten from the arrival of Brian Campbell ... well, who am I to add to the obvious pressure on the Sharks to come away with the two points.

Ron Wilson likes to say that all games are equally important because it's all about those two points. Technically, of course. he's correct. But the Sharks coach might get an argument from some Sharks fans as far as Friday's game is concerned.

The Wings will have to be particularly wary of Jonathan Cheechoo, who's starting to find his form after enduring hernia surgeries over the summer and persistent groin problems during the first half of the season:

February 29, Mercury News: Over the past 19 games, Cheechoo has scored 14 goals - more than anyone in the NHL over that span except Alexander Ovechkin.

"Everybody in this room is just so happy for him because he's worked so hard," teammate Jeremy Roenick said. "Cheech is an ultimate professional. He's about making things happen, not making excuses."

Hockey players have this thing about excuses, even legitimate ones. So whenever Cheechoo was asked in October and November if his scoring problems were tied to his summer surgeries for a double hernia, he would play down any connection. Maybe, he would say, it hampered his off-season training. But, no, things were fine once the season began.

Only they weren't. Once Cheechoo began putting the puck in the net regularly, he acknowledged that he really didn't feel good on the ice until around Christmas. But even when he was better physically - that second phase of the season - something else was still missing: confidence.

"Confidence is a big part of our game," Cheechoo said. "I wasn't scoring and any time you're not scoring, you're not going to have it. You've got to get a lucky one here and there to help you break out of slumps. But it takes a few good games to build confidence and I wasn't putting those games together."

Pollak says that Cheechoo's scored in four straight games, which is all the more reason to keep a close eye upon him tonight.